Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides is among the 20 world leaders participating in a critical summit to address the ongoing Ukrainian crisis. The virtual meeting, spearheaded by French President Emmanuel Macron, focuses on reinforcing European unity against Russia’s continued aggression.

The summit, which includes prominent figures such as Romanian President Iohannis, Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, gathers European Union heads of state and government, as well as leaders from Nato countries. Christodoulides, alongside other leaders, joined the discussions via video conference due to logistical constraints.

The urgency of this meeting comes after smaller European nations, including Romania and the Czech Republic, voiced their surprise at not being invited to the initial round of talks, despite their strong support for Ukraine. In response, Macron convened this second summit, bringing together a broader group of international leaders to reassess the strategies needed to counter Russia’s actions.

Notably absent from the discussions are Hungarian and Slovakian leaders, whose ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin are well-documented, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose ambitions to act as a mediator in the conflict have stirred tensions within Nato.

In a speech, Macron reiterated the gravity of the situation, calling Russia’s actions an “existential threat” to Europe. He warned that the unthinkable could occur if the West fails to maintain pressure on Russia, underscoring that France, along with the UK, is exploring the possibility of sending specialised forces to Ukraine, though with strict limitations to avoid direct conflict zones.

The summit coincides with growing discontent among European countries that feel sidelined in the ongoing discussions. France’s leadership remains firm, as foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian declared that Europe must face the reality of the Russian threat head-on, or risk seeing the frontline move ever closer to EU borders.

As part of a broader effort to reinforce sanctions against Russia, European diplomats have confirmed that new punitive measures are set to be introduced this week, reflecting Europe’s commitment to weakening Russia’s military and economic power.